Metal working press



Oct. 17, 1933.

F. .1. RODE El AL METAL WORKING PRESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 12 1935 Oct. 17, 1933. F. J. RODE El AL METAL WORKING PRESS Filed June 12, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METAL WORKING PRESS Fredrich J. Rode, Oak

Park, and Rudolph W.

16 Claims.

This invention relates in general to metal working presses, in which the work is formed between co-operating dies, one of which is reciprocable toward and away from the other, and the said other die is movable under the pressure of the reciprocating die and is yieldingly resisted in such movement by a fluid pressure cushion.

Machines of this general character are usually equipped with a knockout device for knocking out the work from the die after it has been formed and after the ram or reciprocable die starts to ascend or recede.

It has been found in practice that oftentimes the knockout device or pin will injure the work by indenting the same, and in many instances completely perforating the work. This is particularly true when the work has been subjected to a heating operation, thereby rendering itself readily susceptible to injury.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide improved means whereby the operation of the knockout mechanism will be delayed, thereby not only allowing the ram or re ciprocable die to recede or move out of the way, but such delay will allow suificient time for the work to partially cool before the knockout device contacts therewith, thereby overcoming the susceptibility of the work to injury by contact therewith and operation thereupon by the knockout device or pin.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction,

' combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention and in which Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation, partly in section, partly broken away, and with parts omitted, of a portion of a metal working mach'ne equipped with a knockout mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, partly in elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, of the knockout mechanism showing the same in a position to eject or knock out the work from the die.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the parts in another position.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on a different scale of one of the control valve mechanisms.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10'designates a portion of the frame of a metal working machine provided with a bed 11, and arranged within the machine and forming an integral part thereof, is a cylinder or chamber 12 constituting one of the elements of the pressure cushion.

The numeral 13 designates a. die supported upon the bed 11 of the press, and 14 indicates the work.

Projecting above the bed of the machine are uprights 15, between which a reciprocable ram 16 operates, and which ram is adapted to be reciprocated in the usual manner. A die 17 is carried by the ram 16 and co-operates with the die 13.

All of the above referred to parts are of the ordinary construction.

Reciprocable in the cylinder 12 is a piston 18 7o provided with suitable packing 19-20, and the piston is preferably constructed of two sections secured together by bolts .or fastening devices 21.

Fluid is supplied to the'cylinder 12 through a suitable inlet 22 leading from a source of supply of fluid under pressure and is delivered to the cylinder through a passage 23.

Arranged within the passage is a valve casing 24 having a valve seat 25, with which a valve 26 co-operates, and the valve 26 is provided with a so longitudinal passage therethrough controlled by a supplemental valve 2'7. The valve 26 is provided with openings 28 so as to permit fluid from the valve casing 24.- to flow into the valve 26 through the openings 28 to unseat the valve 27 when the as pressure behind the valve 27 is greater than the pressure in the cylinder 12 and thereby allow the fluid to flow into the cylinder 12 to raise the piston 18. When the pressure in the cylinder 12 exceeds the pressure behind the valve 27, then the valve 27 will be seated to close the opening through the valve 26 to retain the pressure in the cylinder 12.

The valve 27-26 is adapted to be unseated against fluid pressure in a cylinder 31 and in which cylinder is a stationary piston 31, the cylinder being movable with respect to the piston. To the cylinder is connected a piston rod 31 that passes through a cylinder 29 to engage the end of the valve stem 32 of the valve 2'7. The rod 31 is moved against the valve stem 32 of the valve 27 by fluid pressure entering the cylinder 31 from a suitable source through an inlet 31 and is controlled in any suitable manner. The fluid pressure in the cylinder 31 also acts as a means for controlling the degree of resistance pressure of the fluid in the cylinder 12 and against which pressure in the cylinder 31 the valve 2627 must be unseated by the pressure in the cylinder 12, to permit the fluid to flow from the cylinder 12,

through the passage 23 and out of the passage 22, in a manner well-known in this art. The cylinder 29 is held in position by means of supports 29.

The knockout device consists essentially of a pin or bar 33 which is adapted to slide loosely through the bed plate 10 and die 13 to engage and contact the work 14, and the pin moves through a sleeve 34 secured to the cylinder 12 preferably by passing through the bottom thereof, and a portion of the'pin passes loosely through the piston members 18. Suitable packing 35 is provided between the sleeve 34 and the wall of the piston, and additional packing 36 is provided between the sleeve 34 and the knockout pin or rod 33 to prevent the escape of fluid into or out of the cylinder 12.

Arranged beneath the bed of the press and held in position in any suitable manner, such as by 'means of bars or rods 3'7, is a support 38 which constitutes the bottom of a cylinder 39 and within the cylinder is a piston 40. The piston is provided with a tubular portion 41 which extends I through the bottom of the cylinderwith suitable packing 42 therearound.

An elongated sleeve 43 passes through the piston 40 and is telescoped with the tubular extension 41, the sleeve 43 being preferably provided with a projecting circumferential flange 44 which rests in a seat 45 in the top of the cylinder and through which top the sleeve 43 passes, suitable packing 46 being provided between the sleeve 43 and the cylinder head. A rod 4'7 is provided with threaded portions 48 and 49 at the extremities thereof, and these threaded portions engage threaded portions of the sleeve 43, so as to secure the rod 47 to the sleeve 43 for longitudinal adjustment with respect to the sleeve. A nut or collar 50 may be threaded on the'end of the rod 47 to hold the latter in position with respect to the sleeve 43 and the extremity of the rod is preferably angular in cross section as at 51 for the reception of a tool to operate the same.

Carried by the piston 40 are looking dogs pivotally mounted as at 52, any number of which may-be provided, and one extremity 53 thereof is adapted to co-operate with a shoulder 54 on the sleeve 43. Springs 55 are provided and connected to the dogs in such afmanner that the ends 53 thereof will be normally moved against the periphery of the sleeve 43, so that when the shoulders 54 pass the extremities 53 of the dogs the extremities will pass under the shoulders and lock the sleeve 43 to the piston, 40 for movement therewith when the, piston 40 rises in the cylinder 39. Arranged ,/within the cylinder 39 and preferably supported by the top thereof is a circumferential depending flange or projection 56 disposed within the path of movement of the ends 5'7 of the dogs so that when the piston 40 and dogs move from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position'shown in Figure 2, the ends 55 will contact with a depending flange or projection 56 before the piston 40 reaches the limit of its upward movement, so that a further movement of the piston from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3 will cause the dogs to be rocked about their pivots into the position shown in Figure 3, thereby releasing the sleeve 43 and the rod 4'7 with respect to the piston 40 so that the rod 4'7 together with the sleeve 43 will drop from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 1, independently with respect to the piston 40. That is, when the sleeve 43 and rod 4'7 are released and while the piston 40 will be retarded in its lowering movement in the cylinder 39, the sleeve 43 and rod 4'7 will drop by gravity so as to permit the knockout pin 33 to drop into an inoperative position. The end of the rod '47 is arranged directly beneath the extremity of the knockout pin 33 and is supported by the rod 47 and is also elevated thereby, both as at 59. Within the pipe 58 is arranged a valve 60 which will open to permit the fluid to flow out of the cylinder 39 and will be closed to prevent the fluid from flowing thereinto. A by-pass 61 is arranged around the valve 60, and in the by-pass 61 is arranged a needle valve 62 provided with a restricted opening 63 for limiting the flow of fluid through the pipe 58. The needle valve 62 is adjusted to open or close the passage 63 to any desired extent and thereby control the flow of the fluid into the cylinder 39 when the fluid is flowing down the pipe 58. As the fluid flows through the pipe 53 to enter the cylinder 39, it will close the valve 60 and the only escape the fluid will have will be through the by-pass 61 and around the valve 60, causing the fluid to flow very slowly into the cylinder 39 under the piston 40, until the necessary pressure is built up beneath the piston to raise the latter.

When, however, the piston 40 is descending the fluid beneath the piston will be forced out of the opening 59 into the pipe 58 and past the valve 60, out through the pipe 58.

Fluid is admitted into the top of the cylinder 39 so as to lower the piston 40, through a pipe 64 and the pipe 64 will also operate as an outlet pipe for the fluid above the piston 40 in the cylinder 39 when sufficient pressure is exerted beneath the piston 40 to raise the latter. Obviously, when the sleeve 43 is locked to the piston 40, when the latter rises the rod 4'7 will also rise to operate the knockout pin to ejectthe work from the die 13.

Therefore, in order to control the rise and fall of the piston 40 and consequently the operation of the knockout pin 33, it is only necessary to control the flow of the fluid through the respective pipes 58 and 64. This may be accomplished in any desired or suitable manner, but preferably by automatically controlled operating valve mechanism, preferably of the type disclosed in United States Patent 1,778,229, issued October 14, 1930. Suffice it to say, that the valve mechanism for each pipe is of the same construction and operation and therefore the description of one of such mechanisms will apply equally as well to both. 4

The valve mechanism consists essentially of a casing 65 in which there are provided chambers 666763. The chamber 66 has communication with the chamber 67 by means of a passage 69 controlled by a valve '70 which is normally held against its seat by means of-a spring '71 so as to close communication between the chambers 66 and 6'7.

The chamber 67 has communication with the chamber 68 by means of a passage '72 controlled by a valve 73, which latter is normally held against its seat by means of a spring 74.

Leading into the chamber 66 is a pipe through which fluid under pressure flows and when the valve 70 is opened, in a manner to be hereinafter set forth the fluid under pressure will flow from the chamber 66 through the passage 69 into the chamber 67 and thence into the pipe 58, through the by-pass 61 past the needle valve 62 and into the bottom of the cylinder 39 beneath the piston 40 to raise the latter, and when the sleeve 43 and rod 47 .are locked with the piston 40 they will'be raised thereby and the knockout pin 33 willalso be raised to the positions shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Leading from the chamber 68 is an' exhaust pipe '76 which, when the piston 40 descends, will permit the fluid to flow out of the bottom or the cylinder 39 from beneath the piston 40 through the pipe 58, past the valve 60 into the chamber 67, through the passage 72 to the chamber 68 and thence through the pipe 76 so as not to interfere with the descent of the piston.

Similarly, the fiuid will be directed from the supply pipe 75 through the respective valve mechanism into the pipe 64 to the top side of the piston 40 in the cylinder 39' when it is desired to lower the piston and, when the piston .40 ascends the exhaust pipe 76 of that valve mechanism will be opened so as not to interfere with the ascent of the piston under the influence of the fluid pressure beneath the piston.

The valves 70 and 73 of the respective valve mechanisms may be operated by a rocker member 77 pivoted intermediate its ends as'at 78 and carrying rollers 79 on the ends thereof, one of these rocker members being provided for each pair of valves 70-73.

A rotatable member 80 having secured thereto for adjustment about the periphery thereof a cam 81, is driven from any suitable rotary part of the press, such for instance as the crank shaft, through the medium of a sprocket/chain 82,

which passes over a sprocket wheel 83 connected to a shaft 84, to which the rotatable members 80 are secured for rotation.

A spring controlled member 85 is provided which cooperates with an arm 86 for holding the rocker member 77 in its adjusted position and for also assisting in moving the rocker member about its pivot after it has been given an initial movement by the cam 81.

Obviously, the cams 81 on the respective rotatable members 80 that control the valves of the respective pipes 58 and 64 may be set in any desired position with respect to each other and to operate at any desired times during the cycle of operation of the press. Sufiice it to say that when the member 80 is rotated the cam device 81 will engage one of the arms of the rocker member 77 to move the member about its pivot and thereby open one of the valves 70-73 and permit the other to close, according to the direction which it is desired to cause the pressure fluid to flow, that is whether it is desired to raise the piston 40 in the cylinder 39 or lower the same. The cams 81 on the respective members 80 are also set with respect to each other that the proper valves will be opened and others closed to permit the fluid to flow or escape from the cylinder 39 on the opposite side of the piston from the side on which the pressure is admitted, so as not to interfere with the operation of the piston, and all of this mechanism is arranged in timed relation with the operation of the machine.

it will require a 3 By the provision of the needle valve 62 it will be manifest that the fluid flowing through the pipe 58 into the bottom of the cylinder 39 beneath the piston 40 will be restricted and the amount of restriction may be controlled by the valve, while the valve 60 will open to permit a free and unrestricted flow of the fluid from the bottom of the cylinder whenthe piston descends.

With this arrangement it will be manifest that before the piston 40 will start to rise, and inasmuch as there is a restricted flow of fluid pressure into the bottom of the cylinder under the piston, predetermined period of time for sufiicient pressure to be built up in the cylinder beneath the piston 40 to cause the latter to rise so that there will be a period of dwell or rest of the piston 40. By this means and as the rod 47 and sleeve 43 are locked to the piston 40, it will be manifest that the knockout pin or rod 33 will not be operated until the piston 40 starts to rise. This delay in the rise of the piston 40 is suflicient to permit the ram 16 and die 17 to recede or move away from the die 13 and will also allow the work 14 to cool to a certain extent before the end of the knockout pin 33 contacts with the work. This will prevent injury or marring of the work by the knockout pin.

Just before the piston 40 with the sleeve and rod 47 locked thereto, reaches the limit of its upward movement in the cylinder 39, and when the parts assume the position as shown in Figure 2, the ends 57 of the dogs which are carried by the piston, contact with the depending flange or projection 56 on the head of the cylinder, so that by a further movement of the piston 40 upwardly from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 2, the dogs will be rocked about their pivots 52 to cause the extremities 53 to move out of engagement with the shoulder 54 on the sleeve 43 to release the sleeve and the rod 47, so that the rod and sleeve together with the knockout pin 33 will fall by gravity, as indicated in Figure 3, thereby allowing the knockout pin to move into an inoperative position and out of the way of the next piece of work which is to be operated upon by the reciprocating ram 16 and die 17.

When the piston 40 reaches the limit of its upward movement, the respective valves 70-73 will be operated so as to permit the fluid beneath the piston 40 to escape while fluid under pressure entering through the pipe 75 will flow through the pipe 64 to the top side of the piston and force the latter down against any pressure which may be manifest under the piston 40.

Obviously the degree of resistance pressure to the piston 18 may be controlled by controlling the fluid pressure in the cylinder 29.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is: r

1. In a metal working press, a die movable under pressure of a ram, means for yieldingly resisting the movement of said die, knockout mechanism, said mechanism embodying a cylinder and piston, means for moving the piston in one direction, means for moving the piston in the opposite direction, a member separate from the piston, means for locking the said member for movement with the piston, and means for der and piston, fluid pressure means for moving the piston in one direction, fluidpressure means for moving the piston in the opposite direction, a member separate from the piston, means for locking the member for movement with the piston, and means for unlocking the said member and piston whereby said member and piston will be adapted for independent movements one with respect to the other.

3. In a metal working press, a die movable under pressure of a ram, means for yieldingly resisting the movement of said die, knockout mechanism, said mechanism embodying a cylinder and piston, fluid pressure means for moving the piston in one direction, fluid pressure means for moving the piston in the opposite direction, a member separate from the piston, means for locking the member for movement with the piston, means for unlocking the said member and piston whereby said member and piston will be adapted for independent movements one with respect to the other, and means for delaying the building up of fluid pressure on one side of the piston.

4. In a metal'working press, a die movable un der pressure of a ram, means for yieldingly resisting the movement of said die, knockout mechanism, said mechanism embodying a cylinder and piston, fluid pressure means for moving the piston in one direction, fluid pressure means for moving the piston in the opposite direction, a

member separate from the piston, means for locking the member for movement with the piston, means for unlocking the said member and piston whereby said member and piston will be adapted for independent movements one with respect to the other, and means for restricting at will the flow of fluid pressure to one side of the piston.

5. In a metal working press knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying an ejector member, a cylinder and piston one of which is movable with respect to the other, means operable on the opposite side of the piston to effect such relative movements in the opposite directions, means for automatically connecting said member to the movable one of said cylinder and piston for movement therewith, and means for automatically disconnecting said member therefrom for movement independently with respect thereto.

6. In a metal working machine knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying an ejector member, a cylinder and piston one of which is movable with respect to the other, fluid pressure means operable on opposite sides of the piston for eflecting respective relative movements, means for automatically shifting the effective operation of the fluid pressure from one side to the other of the piston, means for automatically locking said ejector member with the movable one of the cylinder and piston for movement therewith, and means for automatically rendering the said locking means inactive.

7. In a metal working machine knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying an ejector member, a cylinder and piston one of which is movable with respect to the other, fluid pressure means operable on opposite sides of the piston for effecting respective relative movements, means for automatically shiftwhich will be suflicient to effect the relative movement of the cylinder and piston in one direction.

8. In a metal working machine knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying an ejector member, a. cylinder and piston one of which-is movable with respect to the other, fluid pressure means operable on opposite sides of the piston for effecting respective relative movements, means for automatically shifting the effective operation of the fluid pressure from one side to the other of the piston, means for automatically locking the said ejector member with the movable one of the cylinder and piston for movement therewith, and means for automatically rendering the said locking means inactive, the said locking means embodying pivotally mounted locking dogs and a shoulder respectively carried by the parts to be locked.

9. In a metal working machine a knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying a cylinder and piston one of which is movable with respect to the other, a separate ejector member, means for locking the said member with the movable one of the cylinder and piston, means for admitting fluid pressure to and for permitting the same to escape from one side o f the piston, means for admitting fluid pressure to and for permitting the same to escape from the other side of the piston, means for automatically rendering said locking means inactive, and means for delaying the building up of a pressure on one side of the piston which would be suflicient to eflect a relative movement of the cylinder and piston from the last recited side of the piston.

10. In a metal working machine a knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying a cylinder and piston one of which is movable with respect to the other, a separate ejector member, means for locking the said member with the movable one of the cylinder and piston, means for admitting fluid pressure to and for permitting the same to escape from one side of the piston, means for admitting fluid pressure to and for permitting the same to escape from the other side of the piston, means for automatically rendering said locking means inactive, and means for delaying the building up of a pressure on one side of the piston which would be suflicient to effect a relative movement of the cylinder and piston from the last recited side of the piston, the last recited means embodying means for restricting the flow of fluid pressure to the last recited side of the piston as compared to the flow of fluid away from the latter.

11. In a metal working machine a knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying a cylinder and piston one of which is movable with respect to the other, a separate ejector member, means for locking the said member with the movable one of the cylinder and piston, means for admitting fluid pressure to and for permitting the same to escape from one side of the piston, means for admitting fluid pressure to and for permitting the same to escape from the other side of the piston, means for automatically rendering said locking means inactive, and means for delaying the building up of a pressure on one side of the piston which would be suflicient to efiect a relative movement of the cylinder and piston from the last recited side of the piston, the last recited means embodying valve mechanism adapted to be set to restrict the flow of the fluid pressure to the piston.

12. In a metal working press knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying a cylinder and piston movable therein, an ejector member separate from and passing through the cylinder and piston, interengaging means carried by the piston and member for locking them together for movement in unison, means arranged within the path of movement of one of said interengaging means with the piston for unlocking the piston and said member so that the member may move independently with respect to the piston, means for supplying efiective fluid pressure alternately to the opposite sides of the piston, and means for controlling such supplies.

13. In a metal working press knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying a cylinder and piston movable therein, an ejector member separate from and passing through the cylinder and piston, interengaging means carried by the piston and member for locking them together for movement in unison, means arranged within the path of movement of one of said interengaging means with the piston for unlocking the piston and said member so that the member may move independently with respect to the piston, means for supplying effective fluid pressure alternately to the opposite sides of the piston, and means for restricting the supply of fluid pressure to one side of the piston to delay the relative movement of the piston and cylinder by the fluid pressure exerted on the last recited side of the piston.

14. In a metal working press knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying a cylinder and piston movable therein, an ejector member separate from the piston, means for automatically connecting said member and piston for movement therewith, means responsive to the movement of the piston for disconnecting the said member from the piston for independent movement with respect thereto, a conduit for supplying fluid pressure to the cylinder on one side of the piston, a supply and exhaust conduit for fluid pressure on the other side of the piston, and means for diminishing the supply of fluid flowing through the last recited conduit to the cylinder with respect to the supply of fluid flowing therethrough away from the cylinder on the same side of the piston.

15. In a metal working press knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying a cylinder and piston movable therein, an ejector member separate from the piston, means for automatically connecting said member and piston for movement therewith, means responsive to the movement of the piston for disconnecting the said member from the piston for independent movement with respect thereto, a conduit for supplying fluid pressure to the cylinder on one side of the piston, a supply and exhaust conduit for fluid pressure on the other side of the piston, means for diminishing the supply of fluid flowing through the last recited conduit to the cylinder with respect to the supply of fluid flowing therethrough away from the cylinder on the same side of the piston, and means operating automatically for causing each of said conduits to alternately serve as a supply and as an exhaust for the fluid.

16. In a metal working press knockout mechanism for the work, said mechanism embodying a cylinder and piston movable therein, an ejector member separate from the piston, means for automatically connecting said member and piston for movement therewith, means responsive to the movement of the piston for disconnecting the said member from the piston for independent movement with respect thereto, a conduit for supplying fluid pressure to the cylinder on one side of the piston, a supply and exhaust conduit for fluid pressure on the other side of the piston, and means for diminishing the supply of fluid flowing through the last recited conduit to the cylinder with respect to the supply of fluid flowing therethrough away from the cylinder on the same side of the piston, the said diminishing means embodying a valve in the conduit closed to the flow of fluid to the cylinder, a by-pass for supplying fluid to the cylinder around said valve, and a restricting valve in said by-pass and controllable at will to vary the extent of the restriction of the flow of the fluid to the cylinder.

FREDRICH J. RODE. RUDOLPH W. GLASNER. 

